I'm fine with the TRB, and I think that's 19mm... I also had a Thumb nearly 20 years ago, but obviously it's too long agoto remember... the balance and weight killed my back. Apart from that, the Thumb was a great bass!

I played 2 6 strings awhile back at GC an ibanez btb (its pretty awesome and I love the wood they choosed for it) and a yamaha (I cant remember the model but the string spacing had to be 22mm at least!) For the price though... Check out the ibanez, It has bartolinis in it and a really nice preamp. I believe the neck was rosewood/rosewood, and the body was walnut? or mahogany... Problaby mahogany... But either way it looks pretty nice and sounds really good...

I guess I'll have to go home and measure my TRB-6... it's one of the first TRBs with a bolt-on neck, it has the narrow pickups, identical to the JP signature pickups. I was pretty sure it had 19mm string spacing... but it feels big.

I'm looking at the Z6, too... it seems like a good bass at a good price, so it's got my attention. If the Ibanez BTB is 17mm I guess it's too narrow for my taste... but of course it deserves a mentioning!

There are of course the "budget" Spector and Dean Edge in this end of the market, too. The Brice and Douglas basses are probably good values, too.

I'll be mainly looking in the second-hand market, though... always more cost-effective!

I been wanting a 6-string for a long time, but price has stopped me. I finally bought a used Zon this week. String spacing is a hair tighter, 17mm, but the necks are real nice. Used Zon's are hard to find, but when you do the prices are usually decent, less than a used Smith or USA MTD's.

As for the new MTD Z6 play one before you buy. I have one of the Korean MTD's and like all of Michael's basses they play incredibly, but the sound on the Korean MTD's tends to be thin. So plug one in and check it out first.

I been wanting a 6-string for a long time, but price has stopped me. I finally bought a used Zon this week. String spacing is a hair tighter, 17mm, but the necks are real nice. Used Zon's are hard to find, but when you do the prices are usually decent, less than a used Smith or USA MTD's.

As for the new MTD Z6 play one before you buy. I have one of the Korean MTD's and like all of Michael's basses they play incredibly, but the sound on the Korean MTD's tends to be thin. So plug one in and check it out first.

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Thanks for your input! I've heard other people mention the same issue with the Korean MTDs, so I have a couple of worries regarding the Z6. I've got a Grendel (which sounds great, BTW), and I'm also worried about the balance on the Z6. The Grendel is slightly neck-heavy (but not really a problem), but with the wider neck I'm worried that the Z6 might dive. On the other hand, these basses are so lightweight that a little lead in the control compartment may solve the problem.

But there is a distributor in Norway, so I think I'll manage to get a test before a decision must be made.

I do play a TRB at the moment, and am happy with that... just considering the options